Tent.



No. 681,30l. Patented Aug. '27, |90I. J. M. CORSUN.

TENT.

(Application filed Jan. 31, 1000. Renewed Apr. 4, 1901.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet lnvanfoc witnesses J f` No. 681,30l. Patented Aug. 27, |90l. J. M. CORSDN..

TENT.

(Application led Jan. 31, X900. Renewea Apr. 4, 1901.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-'Sheet' 2.

Patented Aug. 27, |90I. J. M. OURSON.

' No. 68|,30L

TENT.

(Application led Jan. 31, 1900. Renewed Apr. 4, 1901.)

4 Sheets-Shet 3.

(No Model.)

Witnesses No. 68mm. Patented Aug. 27, |901.'

.1. m. cansan. n

TENT.

(Application led Jan. 31, 1900. Renewed Apr. 4, 1901.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

@vincono /pl u l q I l AIINTTED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

JOHN M. CORSON, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

TENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,301, dated August 27. 1901- Applioaton filed January 3l, 1900. Renewed April 4, 1901. Serial No. 54,354. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Bet known that I, JOHN M. CoRsoN, of the United States Army, vhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tents; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to tents, and more particularly to tents for hospital use.

During the recent Spanish-American war and the present Filipino rebellion it has been proven that in a tropical country with great rainfall it is absolutely necessary for the health and efficiencyT of the command that the troops be well housed and sheltered on lioored tents raised at least three feet from the ground, and even in the United States this custom is being almost universally adopted. Besides,the flooring of these tents should be made of matched lumber, as in the use of the ordinary rough lumber it is impossible to bring the boards sufficiently close together to prevent the entrance of moisture and miasmatic gases arising from the soil, which render the command susceptible to malarial attacks. From practical experience I have found that it is better to sleep on the ground with a heavy rubber blanket under the body than in a loosely-constructed low-floored tent. By using matched lumber this difficulty is obviated. l,

As to the advantages of a lightly-built and easily-assembled portable flooring for tents, the following may be cited as a few:

Commanders have found to their chagrin and inconvenience the difficulty experienced in getting skilled labor and the delay in constructing flooring and tent superstructure from rough lumber, the method now invariably in use. By use of the flooring herein described, on account of its compactness and lightness of build and the ease, simplicity, and rapidity with which it may be assembled, this difficulty is overcome. When taken down and properly packed, it occupies very little more space than the raw lumber it contains and fully thirty per cent. less than is necessary to build the superstructure on the lines as at present adopted.

Experience has shown that even in the bestregulated and most sanitary camps it is inadvisable to occupy the ground for a longer period than two or three months, and in the case of the outbreak of any epidemic disease immediate removal is absolutely demanded. With the present heavy, bulky, and cumbersome structures the process of removal for even short distances is very slow and tedious and for long distances almost impracticable and well-nigh impossible. In case of an outbreak of an epidemic contagious disease disinfection would be extremely tedious and in any case its efficiency questionable. vWith my improved portable structure transportation would be extremely easy and rapid. The six or eight men occupying a regulation hospitaltent, the size now almost universally adopted, could unpack and assemble or take down and pack the structure in at least half an hour. As the floor of the tent is constructed of planed smooth lumber, leaving no roughness for the lodgment of disease, disinfection would be simple and easy. To wash the smooth surfaces with an antiseptic solution would be sufflcient.

In the case of tents raised three feet from the ground all who have had practical experience will know that the guys will 4have to be two and three times their usual length, and in a moist climate with the constant drying and wetting of the ropes it is well nigh impossible to keep the fly raised above the tent, and that on account of the great contraction of a long rope the tent-pins are being constantly pulled out or loosened. With the use of outriggers two-foot guys are sufficient, and owing to their iiexibility they will give in the case of contraction or take up the slack in the case of expansion, and thus always keep the guys taut and the iiy raised above the tent.

With the above object in view the invention consists incertain features of `construction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved tent, showing it set up. Fig. 2 is a plan view with the iiy and tent-covering removed. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the intermediate compartment-sections, showing the longtudin al braces and the outriggers connected thereto. Fig. 4 is a similar view of one of IOO the compartment-sections after the braces and outriggers have been disconnected therefrom and inclosed within the said section. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the longitudinal intermediate braces. Fig. 6 is a similar view of one of the Outrigger-braces. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the outriggers. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail View, partly in section, taken from the inner side of one of the Outrigger-braces. Fig.v 9 is a similar View of one of the outer upper longitudinal braces. Fig. 10 is a view of one of the licor-sections.

In the construction of the foundation of the tent I take a series of sections 1, shown in the present instance as four in number, and connect them at their ends by the upper and lower longitudinal braces 2 and 3, respectively, which are bolted in place, the holes in the material being previously made to receive the bolts. These braces are connected intermediate their ends by what I will term intermediate, upper,7 and longitudinal braces 4 and 5, respectively, which are likewise bolted to the sections, and to further insure a positive connection and prevent spreading are formed with notches 6, which engage the upper and lower crosspieces 7 and S, respectively, of each section. These sections each consist of the horizontal parallel pieces 7 and 8, secured to the ends of which, on each side, are posts 9 and 10, diagonal braces 11 and 12, and intermediate posts 18 and 14. The intermediate longitudinal braces 4 and 5 are arranged on opposite sides of the posts 13 and 14 and are bolted thereto. The upper edges of the longitudinal braces 2 project above the upper ends of the posts and the upper edge of the horizontal piece 7, so that when the door-sections 15, which consist of smooth tongued-andgrooved boards, screwed or otherwise secured to cleats 17, are placed upon the upper crosspieces of the compartment-sections the upper surfaces of the boards will be flush with the upper edges of the outer longitudinal braces 2 and will prevent said boards shifting laterally.

18 denotes the outriggers, the lower ends of which are beveled, as shown at 19, and which are bolted to the cross-pieces 1. 'Ihese outriggers extend through the end posts of the compartment-sections and are bolted thereto, as at 20, and have their outer ends rabbeted, as shown at 21. To the rabbeted ends 21 are bolted the outrigger-braces 22, secured to the inner sides of which is a plate 28, to which is pivoted adouble hook 24, adapted when not in use to fit into a groove 25, formed in the said plate, and be made flush with the surface of the Outrigger-brace.

26 denotes a plate secured to the outer sides of the upper and outer longitudinal brace 2 and provided with a pivoted hook 27, which, like the hook 24, when not in use is adapted to be folded into a recess .28.

29 denotes the tent-covering, which consists of the top 30, the end walls 31, the side walls 32, and the fly 33. The tent is supported in an upright position by the posts 34, the side walls being held to the longitudinal braces 2 by loops or ropes 35, engaged with the hooks 27. The top of the tent is held in position by the guys 36, which are'passed under the lower edges of the Outrigger-braces and up over the upper edges thereof and engaged with the upper section of the hook 24, while the iies are retained in position by the guys 37, which are passed over the upper edges of the outrigger-braces and under the lower edges and engaged with the lower section of the hook 24.

When it is desired to pack the tent for storage or transportation, the tent-covering is removed by removing the loops from the hooks 27 and disengaging the guys from the hooks 24. The outer and intermediate upper and lower longitudinal braces are now removed by unscrewing the nuts from the bolts,as are likewise the outriggers and the Outrigger-braces. All the braces and the outriggers are now inserted in the compartment-sections, as shown in Fig. 4, in which two outriggers and two longitudinal braces are shown in position. The compartment-sections are stacked one upon the other and the Hoor-sections placed upon the compartment-sections or alternately between the same, as may be desired.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages of my improved tent willbe readily apparent without requiring. an extended explanation.

IOO

It will be seen that the tent is simple of construction, may be made at small cost, and is exceedingly well adapted for the purpose for which it is designed, and it will of course be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a tent of the character described, the combination with the compartment-sections; of braces removably connected thereto and adapted to be inclosed therein when the tent is knocked down for storage or transportation, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Ina tent of the character described, the combination of the compartment -sections each of which consists of the upper and lower board or strip and end posts secured to the opposite sides of the strips at their ends and spaced apart to form, in conjunction with the upper and lower boards, compartments, and braces for removably connecting said sections to form the foundation of the tent, said braces, when the tent is knocked down for storage or transportation, adapted to be :inclosed within the compartments, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

IIO

IZO

guys fastened to the top of the tent-covering and flies and passed around said Outriggerbraoes and engaged With said hooks, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN M. CORSON.

Witnesses:

R. S. WHITNEY, GEO. T. KNOX. 

